I was one of those new mamas who left all the shopping till a month before my due date. I was also one of those annoying mamas who wanted to research, shortlist and as a result pondered way too much about small purchases. I wanted to keep things simple but none of my research efforts were actually simple. Ah well, we often contradict ourselves don’t we?
8 months had come and gone and mini M has truly settled into the infant phase (The above photos were taken when mini M was much smaller). During this period of time, I’ve formed a view on what a baby essentials list should look like. While this post isn’t about telling you the magic numbers to how many of each baby product you should own, it should serve as a guidance to hopefully get you and your baby sorted with as little stress as possible.
Tip #1: Don’t obsess over numbers I was constantly reminded of how quickly babies grow and as a result I spent a lot of time obsessing over the number of onesies, swaddles and socks that I should purchase. That was really unnecessary in hindsight. Common sense is really the only thing required when setting up your baby’s wardrobe. IMHO, it’s definitely better to have more than less to accomodate poo explosions (trust me, your newborn is very good at it) and other unforeseen circumstances. Even if you’ve over purchased, I’m sure you could put the excess to good use by donating to needy mamas out there.
Tip #2. Don’t obsess over fashion Being a sucker for fashion, I do care about what my baby is dressed in but I made the decision to dress mini M in mostly bodysuits or non-frilly items(he was a spring baby) because they were less finicky to handle. I’m a first time mama so naturally I was extra nervous when handling that fragile body and skinny limbs. It’s hard enough to learn the ropes of being a mama as well as trying to get use to the new norm so I’m happy for baby fashion to temporarily take a backseat. In fact, adult fashion also took a backseat in my case as practicality and convenience were prioritised instead. Oh and the poo explosions were something else. I didn’t feel as gutted about stains and whatnots on those basic clothing and honestly, they were not something that I wanted to add to my stress repertoire. Tip: Use cold water to wash poo-ey clothing if you don’t want any stains!
Tip #3. Don’t obsess about purchasing every ‘essential’ that was recommended to you There are TOO MANY ‘must haves’ that you could purchase but my advice is to get the absolute necessities and leave the rest for future reference. Pick the major things that your newborn absolutely needs and overtime you might even find the other things on the short-list to be redundant. You would likely get a few hand-me-downs from family and friends and accepting those things could save you a lot of $$$ (this I speak from personal experience).
Tip #4. Don’t obsess about having the nursery ready I pinned a whole bunch of attractive-looking nurseries on my Pinterest and obsessed over the various colour schemes that I had in mind before mini M was born but guess what, the nursery is currently non-existent. Unless you’re going to put your newborn in her nursery straightaway, I suggest focusing your energy on something else as a Pinterest-worthy nursery would likely be at the bottom of your priority list once the baby arrives. A beautiful nursery isn’t going to serve its intended purpose if no one uses it.
Tip #5. Don’t forget to seek help Unfortunately the house isn’t going to be as clean and tidy with a newborn around and your meals are likely going to be basic but you know what, give yourself a pat on the back because you deserve it! You have gone through a lot and fatigue could really throw a person out of perspective. I found myself getting quite short when mini M screamed uncontrollably but really it would have been more beneficial if I had better control of my emotions. If possible, try and get some help (even if it’s from your partner) because a little bit goes a long way when you’re figuring things out. Being a mama is hardwork (truly) but I find that with a bit of support around, motherhood can be quite enjoyable and rewarding.
While these are by no means the magic formula to the perfect start of motherhood and neither am I an expert, they are however food for thought if you’re an expectant mama and you just don’t know where to begin with your preparation.
Whatever it is, ultimately it’s best to follow your gut instincts as every mama’s journey is different. This isn’t one size fits all and I guess that’s what makes being a mama so special. If you’re a fellow mommy and have something to add to the post, please feel free to use the comments section!
I do feel like quitting sometimes so I plan to list out a few things that I love about mini M to remind myself how fortunate I am in my next post. I hope you’re encouraged to do the same with your little one because there’s really a lot to be thankful for! Till then.
x